When Sore Trials Come Upon You

I am normally one who likes to concentrate on the positive and see the good in life. Even when things are hard, I like to put a positive spin on it, and look for the blessings that have come from it. I will always look for silver linings. I will always look for good.

BUT. I have had trials. Many of them. From the day to day struggles of every day life to health issues to loss and loneliness.  I am like the rest of the world and have been tested to past what I thought my limit was. I have been dragged through Hell. I have lived through things I thought would kill me. No one is immune. No one's life is perfect.

The date today is one that has traditionally been extremely bittersweet for me. It signifies the occurrence of one of the greatest joys I've experienced and one of the most devastating losses I've ever endured.

I am not going to burden my readers with the details, but be assured I know first hand what loss is. I know the bitter taste of loneliness and the heart~wrenching, soul~twisting feeling of utter despair. I do not want to get dramatic or melancholy, but want it to be known I am not just a sympathizer~but a true empathizer of pain.

That being said, and I hope understood, I will testify that there is always hope. There is always a way out of the darkness. There is a God, and He can love you through anything. He can show you light in the darkest of places.  I'm a believer that once you have had part of your heart ripped out-you never get over it-but you can get THROUGH it. And come out the other side knowing you were blessed. Knowing who loves you. Knowing you have strength in ways you never dreamed you could.

One more thing I've found out. Service really does help. By some divine coincidence I always seem to do some kind of service on this day. Today it was several hours of hard, physical, hot work with a youth group and a scout working for his Eagle. If nothing else it helped keep my mind from wondering to that dark place it escapes to sometimes. But it made me feel good too.

So today I'm okay. The hurt is always present but it has been patched over with the kindness of others, the blessings from God, the hope of the future, and the realization that I am getting through. Seeing the blessings. Seeing the light. I am grateful.

All That Glitters

I am trying to catch back up with my life in the wedding and cruise aftermath. I am putting things away, moving things, organizing, cleaning, and thinking. A lot.



One of the kissing balls with over 100 hand made roses

The wedding was marvelous. I could not have asked for a more blessed experience. Lots of fun, happiness, love, warmth, food, friendship and joy came from it. Not to mention plenty of glitter. I absolutely relished preparing for and creating the decorations for Cassie and Stephen's wedding. I love creating and this filled a long neglected void for me. But as I have been dismantling and putting away all of the glitz and glitter, I realize the "glitter" in the whole experience was the people. I have the most wonderful son-in-law. He is funny, kind, handsome, good-hearted, smart, and most of all, he adores Cassie. His family is just as wonderful. We received help from, interacted with, and enjoyed time with so many wonderful people during all of this. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a hard time with crowds and social situations. I LOVE PEOPLE. But socializing is an awkward experience for me. I absolutely enjoyed my social experiences during the weeks before and during the wedding. I saw people I miss, people I love, people I admire, and people I don't even know very well throughout this process. And I loved it. I loved the reception. To my husband's utter dismay, I told him we should have a gathering like the reception once a month just so we could see all those amazing people in one place again.

Centerpieces

Okay-maybe that is overboard, but my point is that it's not the glitter, the decorations, the cake, the invitations or gifts that make an event-but the PEOPLE . And they made ours. I know I'm blessed. I know what matters. I'm grateful for the people that make my life better. They are my glitter.

Cassie is Married (and it took a village!)

It's been too long since I've blogged. I've missed it. I have a good excuse...a wedding. My daughter Cassie's wedding.

Cassie 's life was a little complicated as she grew up. She needed a lot of help and understanding of her sensitive little spirit. It took a village of wonderful, caring inspired people to help us raise her into the beautiful, accomplished, sweet woman she is today. I am forever grateful to the people that I know were Heaven~sent into her life. Our family has benefitted greatly from the forever friendships that have been formed with these people...and all because of Cassie.

On a side note, one of the KEY players in Cassie's life has been her sister, Meghan. Meghan has been the glue that kept us together, the encouragement that made us go on, the LIGHT that kept us shining, the happiness that made it worth it, and the joy that completed our family.  And she misses her sis!

Meghan and Cassie with Stephen and his parents (Diana & Rod)

For months before Cassie's wedding, we debated where to have her reception. Chad is a busy man. I know, we are ALL busy people, but Chad is always busy helping someone else. This is a wonderful trait I see in him, but it also means there is not much time left over for our projects-including my back yard. Chad really wanted to have the reception in our yard and I wanted to have it in a place that was, well....finished. We've had a pit that was "going to be a deck" dug in our yard for 4 years.  Chad reasoned with me and won-we put our home as the venue on the invitations. So we were committed. I don't know that I have ever felt more stress knowing what had to be done. It was an IMPOSSIBLE task. On our list was the deck, a patio, flower beds, trim on our windows and a huge clean up.


The "deck"

12 days before the reception, an army showed up. It was an army of builders, planners, workers, planters, root~diggers, meal~makers, well wishers and do~gooders. The army changed in personnel by the hour, but there was always one here. An army of our friends and neighbors. An army of peope we love. I've cried for 2 weeks~and it's not because Cassie got married. It's because my heart is so full of gratitude for the people that fill my life. The job got done. My yard is beautiful. I wish I had taken many more before and after photos to prove what a miracle has taken place. The event was beautiful on so many levels~one of them being that the people who came and gave and loved were a part of it. My joy is full. Cassie is married to a wonderful man. God sent an army to us. And I am grateful!

The DECK!!